In Mendel might have studied 7 pairs of characters in a plant with 10 chromosomes instead of 14 then

Options

A. he might not have discovered independent assortment
B. he might not hae discovered linkage
C. he might have discovered crossing over
D. he might have not observed dominance

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Mendel's Work**: Mendel conducted his experiments on the garden pea plant, Pisum sativum, and studied seven pairs of contrasting traits. Each trait was associated with a specific pair of alleles located on different chromosomes.

2. **Chromosome Count**: Mendel's original work was based on a plant with 14 chromosomes (7 pairs). If he had studied a plant with only 10 chromosomes, it would mean he was working with fewer pairs of traits.

3. **Law of Dominance and Independent Assortment**: Mendel formulated two key principles: the law of dominance, which states that one allele can mask the expression of another, and the law of independent assortment, which states that alleles for different traits segregate independently of one another during gamete formation.

4. **Impact of Fewer Chromosomes**: If Mendel had studied a plant with only 10 chromosomes, he would have had fewer pairs of traits to analyze. This reduction would likely lead to increased linkage between genes. Linkage refers to the tendency of alleles that are located close together on a chromosome to be inherited together.

5. **Consequences of Linkage**: Due to linkage, the law of independent assortment would not hold true. This is because the genes that are linked would not assort independently during gamete formation, leading to fewer combinations of traits than expected.

6. **Conclusion**: If Mendel had studied a plant with 10 chromosomes, he might have discovered the phenomenon of linkage but would have struggled to explain the law of independent assortment due to the increased linkage between traits.

### Final Answer:
If Mendel had studied a plant with 10 chromosomes instead of 14, he might not have been able to explain the law of independent assortment due to the increased linkage between traits.

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